Apparatus for bundling pulpwood



United States Patent [72] Inventor Curtis A. Gentry, Jr.

Olsalcccn, Fla. l [21] Appl. No. 690,207

{22] Filed Dec. 13, 1967 [45] Patented Dec. 22, 1970 [73] AssigneeInternational Paper Company New York, N.Y. a corporation oINew York [54]APPARATUS FOR BUNDLING PULPWOOD 7 Chile, 17 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. 143/46, @2.. .4!4! [51] Int. 'F6Sg57/1l [$0] FleldolSecrch214/61, 6K, 6H, 6M, 6D; 198/27; 143/46 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,065,674 12/1936 Fay, .Ir 214/601) 2,413,979 111947 Lamb2l4/6(l-1)X 2,895,624 7/1 959 Oster, Jr. 2l4/6(l-1) 2,915,292 12/1959Aitken 2l4/ 6 (K) Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza AssistantExaminer-Robert J. Spar Attorney-Charles B. Smith ABSTRACT: Apparatusfor stacking cut tree sections that includes a conveyor for moving atree length, delimbed tree in an axial path, saws for cutting the treeinto sections, a second conveyor substantially transverse to said axialpath, a transfer cradle and actuating means for transferring c'utsections from the first to the second conveyor, a shuttle car at the endof the second conveyor for receiving cut sections and for dischargingand stacking the cut sections substantially side-by-side and inhorizontal rows, one on the other, cradle means for receiving the stackand arms on the cradle for receiving and lowering the stacked sectionsin the cradle.

PATENTEU [ED221970 SHEET 1 OF 9 +2 3 Wm N2 e2 92 m2 PATENTEU 05222 I970SHEET 2 OF 9 PATENTED R22 m SHEET 0F 9 wow mmN

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PATENTED [M22 1970 SHEET 5 0F 9 PATENTED DEE22 lam SHEET 8 BF 9 wood foruse in paper-making.

Trees for use in paper-making are felled in the forest, de-

limbed and, priorhereto, have been cut into lengths, for exam- 7 ple, 6feet, stacked on a vehicle, such as a truck, and hauled to the papermill orcollection point. At the collection point, the stack of wood islifted off the vehicle, or truck. v

- Because of shortage of laborand costs, more recently, the

practice has developed of delivering delimbed trees to the paper mill,or collection point, in tree lengths. In other words, the tree, afterhis felled, is not cut into lengths but, rather, is left intact anddeliveredto thepaper mill, or collection point in full tree length. Whensuch tree length units are received at the plant, or collectionpoint,the delimbed tree is fed on a conveyor through saws which cut the treeinto lengths, for example 6 feet, and pile the cut sections, randomlyinto a pile.

. The volume oftrees that can be fed by a conveyor through a saw, cutand randomly piled, is substantial. However, where the cut lengths arecollected at apoint removed from the paper mill and are'the'n shipped-tothe mill by barge, or rail,

onto a barge is, of course, limited. Hence, his the practice to stackthecut w'oodalong the sides and ends of the barge and to fill the area"between the stacks with random piles. The stacked sectionsat the sidesand ends of the barge form sides around the barge and keep the randomlypiled sections from sliding off the barge.

When the trees are cut into sections in the woods and stacked on avehicle, such as a truck, for delivery to the collection point, thestacked piles of wood can be lifted with, for example, a crane, offthetruck and .set on the barge to'form sides, or walls, along the sidesand endsiof the barge. Where, however, the trees are fed, on a conveyorin tree length, cut with saws and piled randomly, the cut sections mustthen be stacked. Stacking'such cut sections adds, substantially, to thecostofthewood. v I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the instant invention, full length delimbedtrees are fed, longitudinally,by a conveyor, are cut into lengths, forexample, 6 feet, and are then lifted, sidewise ortransversely, off ofthe conveyor and stacked, one layer on the other, on a pallet. After thepallet is full, the stacked cut lengths'can then be lifted, by a craneor lift truck, and placed alongthe sides and. endsof the barge-Thecenter of the barge, between the side and end walls thus formed, canthen be filled with randomly piled logs fed directly from the end of thelongitudinal conveyor.

Rather than placing the stacked lengths directly onto the barge, thestackscan be lifted and placed, in stacks, in convenient areas for lateruse or, if desired, can vbe banded or tied in a suitable manner.

The apparatus of the instant invention, in addition to the longitudinalconveyors and saws, includes lifting arms for lift- 7 layers on thestacks, vertically movable arms for receiving the cut sections in layersfrom the shuttle, means for raising and lowering the movable. arms and acradle for receiving the stacked cut sections and for removingthe stacksfrom the machine.

I DESCRIPTION OF THE'DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatusof the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 inenlarged detail;

FIG. 3 isa side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 isan end view of the apparatus looking from the right hand end of FIG. 1;

. FIG. 5 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 3 but in crosssection taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, in cross section taken along line 6-6of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7is a top plan view of a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 inenlarged detail;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.

7; r FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7', v

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 7;

'FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 11 but showing the logcontacting mechanism in another position;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 2;

7 FIG. 15 is an enlarged view, taken in side elevation, of the transferactuator of FIG 6; and

FIGS.'16A, 16B is a schematic diagram of circuiting for the instantapparatus, part of the diagram being on 16A and the balance on 168. 1

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3', aconveyor, generally designated 2, having sidewalls 4, 6 sloping inwardlytoward chain 8 is driven by motor 9 and sprocket 10 in the direction ofthe arrow in FIG. 6, for conveying delimbed tree length tree 12longitudinally in the direction of the arrow in FIGS. 2 and 6, tohourglass shaped rollers 14, having blades 16, and rotatably supported,at their "opposite ends, in frames 18, 20. Rollers 14 are driven bymotor 22 through chain 24. Asthe tree length tree is conveyed,longitudinally, by rollers 14, the tree is cut into substantially equallengths, as will be later described. From the end of rollers 14, cuttree lengths are fed to sloping conveyor chain 26, havinglugs 28 anddriving mounted on sprocket 30 driven by motor 31 for moving cut lengths12a upwardly in the sloped direction in the direction of the arrow inFIG. 6. From the upper end of conveyor chain 26,'w hich is not shown,cut lengths 120 are piled randomly.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 6 and 14, saws 32, 34 are pivotally mounted onframe 35 by arms 36, 38 and are driven by motors 40, 42 through belts44, 46; Hydraulic cylinders 48, 50 are mounted on frame 35 and areconnected by piston rods 52, 54 to arms 36, 38, respectively.

In operation, delimbed tree length trees 12 are fed, one-byone, byconveyor chain 8, longitudinally, in the direction of the arrow FIG. 2,to rollers 14 and, by rollers-14, past saws 32, 34. As the tree lengthtree 12 is fed past saws 32, 34, the saws are in their retracted, orfull line position in FIG. 14. The leading end of tree length tree 12 isfed past both saws so that the length past saw 34 is approximately thelength into which the and rollers 14 stopped, the operator actuates oneor more of the saws 34, 32. I

If the length that the full length tree is to be cut is 6 feet and thelength of the tree is 12 feet or less, only the saw 34 is actuated. If,however, the length of the full length tree is longer than 12 feet, bothsaws 34, 32 are actuated. If, of course, the length of the full lengthtree is longer than 18 feet, which is more commonly the case, theleading end of the tree is cut by both saws and the length that remainsis then fed past the saws and cut into the desired length.

With conveyor chain 8 and rollers 14 stopped, the operator actuateseither one or both of cylinders 48, 50, causing one or both of the saws34, 32 to pivot outward on arm 38, 40 across the longitudin alpath andcut the tree length in the path of the saw into the desired length. Saw34, or saws 34, 32 are then retracted to the full line position in FIG.14 and the operator restarts conveyor chain 8 and rollers 14 to move thecut lengths 12a longitudinally along rollers 14 and onto conveyor chain26. As this is being done, the following full length tree 12 is broughtinto position in front of saws 34, 32. Once deposited on conveyor chain26, the cut length tree sections 120 are conveyed to the end of conveyorchain 26 and dropped, randomly, onto the top of the random pile of cutsections.

The instant invention is not primarily concerned with the cutting of thetree length tree into sections of approximately the same length and inpiling the cut sections, randomly, into a pile but, rather, as will nowbe described, in diverting sections cut into approximately the samelength from the longitudinal path and in stacking such cut lengths intostacks.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 15, plate 60, connected to pistonrod 62 of hydraulic cylinder 64, is positioned between the end ofconveyor rolls 14 and conveyor chain 26 and, until raised by cylinder64, is positioned below rolls 14 out of the path of travel of cutsections 12a from conveyor rolls 14 to conveyor chain 26. When raised,as will be later described, plate 60 is in the path of travel,intercepting cut sections 12a, for purposes to be described. Plate 66 ishinged, at its upper end, to the upper end of plate 60 and solenoid 68is mounted to the lower end of plate 60 to be closed when plate 66 ispushed against plate 60, as later described.

As best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, transfer cradle 70 is pivotallyconnected, at 72, to frame 73 and, at its opposite end, is pivotallyconnected to piston rod 74, of hydraulic cylinder 76, which, at itsopposite end, is pivotally mounted on fixed base 78. Hydraulic cylinder76 is provided with connections 80, 82, connected through a valvearrangement, not shown, to a source of hydraulic fluid. In FIGS. 3 and5, transfer cradle 70 is shown in its elevated, or transferring,position. This will be described in greater detail later. For thepresent, it suffices to say that, when retracted by cylinder 78 andpiston rod 74, cradle 70 is pivoted counterclockwise about pivot 72 sothat cradle 70 is below the top of rollers 14, allowing rollers 14 toconvey cut sections 12a past cradle 70.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, conveyor chains 80, having lugs82, and forming an endless loop, pass, at one end of the loop, aroundsprockets 84 mounted on shaft 86 mounted for rotation on frame 73 and,at the opposite end of the loop, pass around sprockets 88 keyed to shaft90 mounted for rotation on frames 92, 94, FIG. 1. Sprocket 96 is keyedto one end of shaft 90 and is driven by motor 98 through chain 100.Conveyor chains 80 are supported on frame 102 connected at 104 tovertical legs 106, 108 of frames 92, 94.

Shuttle car, generally designated 120, having longitudinal side members122, 124 and end members 126, 128, is mounted for movement betweenframes 92, 94, in the directions of the arrows in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, onaxles 130, 132 on which car 120 is mounted, axle 130 having, at itsopposite ends, pinions 134, 136 and axle 132 pinions 138, 140. Pinions134, 138 are in meshing engagement with rack 142 mounted on frame 92 andpinions 136, 140 are in meshing engagement with rack 144 mounted onframe 94. Axles 130, 132 are interconnected by chain 150 passingendlessly around sprocket 152 keyed to axle 130 and sprocket 154 keyedto axle 132. Shuttle car 120 is driven backward and forward in frames92,

94 along pinions 136, 140, in the directions of the arrows, by motor156, mounted on side member 124, endless chain 158 and sprocket 160keyed to axle 130. Motor 156 is reversible and the reversing of themotor is controlledby switches I62, 164, mounted in fixed position atthe opposite ends of the travel of shuttle car 120, on frame 92'.

Referring particularly to F IGS." 3; and 7 to 10, sprockets 200 aremounted on axle 132 for rotation thereon but are not keyed thereto andsprockets 202 are similarly mounted on shaft for rotation on, but arenot keyed to, shaft 90 for reasons later described. Sprockets 204'arekeyed to shaft 206 mounted under frames 92, 94 and shaft 206 andsprockets 204 are driven by sprocket 208 keyed to shaft 206 by chain 210and motor 212. Floating sprockets 214, mounted on shaft 216 connected tocounterweight 218, is mounted-for movement in the direction of thearrows in FIGS. 3, 5 onvertical guides 220, for reasons to be described.Endless conveyor chains 222 (FIGS. 1, 5, 7) pass around sprockets 200,202, 214, and are driven by sprocket 208.

Referring now to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, conveyor chains 222 ride on and aresupported by angle irons 230 fixed, at one of their ends, by welding orother suitable means, to support 232 pivotally mounted, at its oppositeends, on frames 92, 94. At their opposite ends angle irons 230 restbetween angle irons 234, 236, recessed in end frame members 126, 128 andextending longitudinally therebetween. As best seen in FIGS. 5, 7, 9 and10 at their end connected to support 232, angle irons 230 are slightlyhigher than angle irons 234, 236 on shuttle car 120. Thus, as will belater described, cut sections 12a are conveyed by endless conveyorchains 222 at a slight downward angle from the end of conveyor chains80.

Referring next to FIGS. 3, 5, 7, and 11 to 13, plates 240, 242,interconnected in fixed space relation by bar 244, welded or otherwisesuitably connected at its opposite ends to plates 240, 242 are mountedfor pivotal movement on axle 132 and are held, for reasons laterdescribed, in their outwardly, for wardly counterclockwise projectingposition by springs 250 connected at one end to the arm projecting endof plates 240, 242 and, at their opposite end to cross member 252 fixedto side frames 122, 124. When depressed or moved counterclockwise, aswill be later described, lug 254 on plate 240 contacts and moves springbiased toggle 256 on toggle switch 258 mounted on end member 128 ofshuttle'car 120.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, as has been described frames 92,94 are supported at one of their ends by vertical members 106, 108,respectively, and, at their opposite ends are supported by verticalmembers 260, 262, interconnected, horizontally, by beams 264, 266, 268,FIG. 4. Vertical beams 270, 272 extend upwardly between and parallel tovertical members 260, 262 and are interconnected with each other and thevertical members by horizontal beams 264, 266, 268. Hydraulic cylinder280, having a piston rod 282, is positioned, vertically, between beams270, 272 and held in vertical position by horizontal beams 264, 266.Cross arm 284 having at its opposite ends sprockets 286, 288, mountedfor rotation thereon, is fixed to the opposite ends of cross arm 284,and chains 290, 292, fixed at one end to flange 294 at the upper end ofcylinder 280 and, at their opposite ends, to cross head 296. At itsopposite ends cross head 296 has flanges 298, 300 extending rearwardlyfrom the cross head and extending vertically along vertical beams 270,272 to guide cross head 296. Arms 302, 304 are connected by welding, orother suitable means, to cross head 296 and extend outwardly therefromfor purposes more obvious from the following description.

Cradles, generally designated, 400, 402, 404, connected to each other bytie-bars 406, 408, 410, 412, are mounted for transverse movement bywheels 414 on tracks 416, 418, the supports for the axles of whichextend downwardly under the flange of tracks 416, 418, to hold thecradles in place on the tracks when the stacked tree sections areremoved therefrom.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the cradles 400, 404, 406 is madeup of "U" shaped members 420, 422, held spaced and cross braced byhorizontal members 424, 426, 428. Cradles 400, 404, 406 are open at thetop and closed at the bottom.

In the operation of the instant apparatus, cut tree sections 12a aretransferred out of the longitudinal feed path of rollers 14 ontoconveyor chains 80, are lifted up the sloping path of conveyor chains 80and transferred to conveyor chains 222 and, by the shuttle movement ofshuttle car 120 are stacked in layers onto arms 302 and deposited in thecradle 400, 404, or 406, as the case may be, positioned below-the end ofshuttle car 120. Before operation is commenced, however, side 450 which,when lowered, extends longitudinally along the side of rollers 14 toprevent cut sections 12a from spilling off of rollers 14, is lifted outof position along the side of rollers 14 to the elevated position shownin FIGS. 3 and 5. Side 450 is lifted, or elevated, by hydraulic cylinder452.

Arms 302, 304 are elevated, or lifted, by cylinder 280 and piston rod282 so that the arms 302,304 are in the elevated position as shown inFIG. 5. Shuttle car 120 is moved, by actuating motor 156 so the car isat its fully extended position, i.e., at the forward end of the frameaway from conveyor chain 80.

- With side 450 elevated, arms 302, 304 in their raised position andshuttle car I at its forward position, plate 60 is raised by piston rod62, hydraulic cylinder 64 so that plate 60, with hinged plate 66 andsolenoid 68 is in the-path of travel of cut sections 12a being fedlongitudinally by rollers 14. Conveyor chain 8, rollers 14 and saws 32,34 are in operation. Conveyor chain 8 feeds delimbed, full .length treesI2 to conveyor rolls 14. where the tree length tree 12 is cut intolengths as hereinbefore described.

Conveyor rolls 14 are rotated at a speed faster than conveyor chain 8 sothat, as the tree length tree 12 is cut into sections, for example, 6feet long, the sections, as they are cut, accelerate away-from the saw,spacing the first cut section 12a from the following, cut sections.Motors 98, 9,6 and 156 are in operation, conveyor chains 80 and 222 arerotating in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 5. When the forward endof the first cut section 12a strikes plate 66 hinged on 70a plate 60,the lower end of plate 66 moves towards plate 60 and actuates solenoid68. When solenoid 68 is so actuated, fluid pressure is delivered tocylinder 76 and piston rod 74 of cylinder 76 raises transfer cradle 70,pivoting transfer cradle 70 about pivot 72 and transfers cut sectionl2afrom its longitudinal path on conveyor rolls 14 to chain 82. Skirt 70aontransfer cradle 70, as can best be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, remains inthe feed path of rollers 14 so that, if the following section 12a shouldreach plate 704 before transfer cradle 70 has been retracted by cylinder76 of piston rod 74' to its position below feed rolls 14, skirt 70a willblock further feed of the following section.

Once the cut section 12a is transferred, by transfer cradle 70 fromconveyor rolls 14 to conveyor chain 80, cylinder 76 and piston rod 74return the cradle 70 to its initial position below the feed path ofconveyor rolls 14 to receive the next cut section 120.

As cradle 70 is moving back to its retracted position, below conveyorrolls 14, to receive the next cut section 12a, the section 12:;previously transferred is engaged by lugs 82 on conveyor chain 80 and isfed upwardly along the conveyor by conveyor chains 80. The next cutsection,contacting and pivotally moving plate 36 towards plate 60againactuates cylinder 76 and piston rod 74 to transfer the next cutsection 12a on to conveyor 80. Thus, cut sections 12:: are continuouslytransferred from the feed path of conveyor rolls 12a to conveyor.

As the cut sections 12a are moved upwardly by conveyor chains 80. thecut sections are discharged from the upper end of conveyor chains 80 onto conveyor chains 222. Conveyor chains 222 move the logs forward acrossshuttle car 120 and are dropped ofi' the forward end ofshuttle car 120on to elevated arms 302, 304. As the shuttle car moves to the left ofFIG. 5, and at the end of conveyor chains 80, the cut sections 12a aredischarged in a line, substantially side-by-side across arms 302, 304between the upstanding ends of members 420, 422. 7

When shuttle car 120 reaches the end of its travel, toward the end ofconveyor 80, shuttle car 20 trips reversing switch 122, reversing motor156 and reversing the direction of the travel of shuttle car 120 fromthe direction toward the end of conveyor chain 80 into the direction oftravel away from the end of conveyor chain 80. As shuttle car 120 movesin the reverse direction, cut sections 120 continue to be dischargedfrom the end of shuttle car 120 on to arms 302, 304 until shuttle car120 reaches the end of its travel, contacting reversing switch 164 (FIG.I) to reverse the direction of travel of shuttle car 1120 back towardthe end of conveyor chains 80.

As shuttle car 120 shuttles backward and forward across the top ofraised arms 302, 304, the pile of cut sections 12a discharged on to thetop of arms 302, 304 continues to grow higher. The pile of cut sectionsdoes not interfere with the travel of the shuttle car as it is travelingtoward the end of conveyor chains 80 and discharging cut section but,when shuttle car .120 reverses its direction, the cut sections piledahead of plates 240, 242, come into contact with the plates and, becauseof the forward movement of the shuttlecar, pivot plates 240, 242 on axle132, tensioning springs 250 until lugs 254 on plates 240 contact springbiased toggle 256 on toggle switch 258, closing switch 258. When toggleswitch 258 is closed, the hydraulic line to cylinder 280 is opened,retracting piston rod 282 and lowering arms 203, 204 until plates 240clear the top of the cut sections 12a stacked on the top of arms 302,304. Thus, arms 302, 304 are automatically lowered to receive furtherout sections 12a and shuttle car 120 continues to move backward andforward across the top of cradle 400, 402 or 404, as the case may be,until arms 302, 304 are fully lowered below the bottom of the cradle andthe stacked sections 12a rest in the cradle. By manual operation, theoperator, operating the saws, can lower arms 302, 304 until the arms arein a position below tracks 4116, 418 and the filled cradle can then bemoved along tracks 416, 418 from under and to one side of the apparatusand an empty cradle brought into position.

When one cradle is filled and being removed and another cradle is beingbrought into position, plate can be lowered by hydraulic cylinder64 andpiston rod 62 and the cut sections can be conveyed by conveyor chains 26and lugs 23 to the random pile of cut sections or the machine can, ofcourse, be shut down.

, In the apparatus of the instant invention, the cut sections 12a aretransferred from the longitudinal conveyor, conveyed upwardly byconveyor chains 80 and by shuttle car 120 and conveyor chains 222 areautomatically stacked. In transferring and stacking the cut sections12a, it is preferred to maintain the cut sections to be stacked atsubstantially the same length. Because the trees, received in treelength, are not of the'same length, sections at the end of the treeshorter than the desired length may result during the cutting operationand, when this occurs, cut sections 12a shorter than the desired lengthcan be allowed to pass on to conveyor 26 for delivery to the random pileby lowering plate 60 with hydraulic cylinder 64 and piston rod 62. Thiscan be accomplished by the saw operator who, in cutting tree lengths 12into sections 120 can observe the lengths and, with appropriate electriccontrols, control cylinder 64 to lower plate 60.

Referring now to FIGS. 16A, 163 wherein the electrical control circuitis shown schematically, electrical power to the apparatus is suppliedthrough wires 450, 452 and controlled by main power switch 454, openwhen the apparatus is not in operation and closed manually by theoperator, for operation of the apparatus.

Limit switches 456, 458 are mounted on saw frame 35 and, when saws 32,34 are in their retracted, inoperative position, the contacts ofswitches 456, 458 are held closed by arms 36, 38, respectively. Conveyormotors 9, 22, all controlled through switches 456, 458, and representedas one unit in FIG. 16 for purposes of convenience may be run in theforward direction by the operator by closing switch 460 to feed treelength tree 12 and cut sections 120 forward on infeed conveyors 8, 14,or in the reverse direction by the operator by closing switch 462.

To operate the saws, once tree length tree 12 is in proper position infront of the saws, the operator manually closes one, or both, ofswitches 464, 466. Closing of switches 464, 466 actuates solenoid 468,479 and through appropriate valves,

' hydraulic cylinders 468, 470 to move, one or both, of saws 32,

34 toward tree 12. At the same time, one or both of the saw motors 42,44, as the case may be, is actuated, driving saws 32, 34. As saws 32, 34move away from frame 35, switches 456, 458 are opened, opening thecircuit to motors 9, 22, and stopping conveyors 8, 14. When saws 32, 34complete their forward travel, cutting tree 12 into sections 12a, therelays in the circuit reverse the path of fluid pressure to hydrauliccylinders 48, 50, saws 32, 34 return to their initial position andswitches 456, 458 are reclosed by the-returning saws. When switches 456,458 close, conveyor motors 9, 22 again drive conveyors 8, 14.

Outfeed conveyor chain 26 may be driven by motor 31 in the forward, orreverse, direction by the operator by manually closing switches 472,474. Usually, conveyor chain 26 is driven in the forward direction, thereverse direction only being used when one or more of the cut sections12a on conveyor chain 26 become jammed. The direction of conveyor driveis then reversed to free the cut sections.

With the conveyors and the saws in operation, by selectively manuallyoperating up or down button on switch 40, the operator, through solenoid482, can raise or lower plate 60, by energizing in the up or downdirection hydraulic cylinder 64. With plate 60 raised, a cut treesection 12a, striking plate 66, closes switch 484, causing time'delayrelay 486 to energize hydraulic cylinder 76 first in one direction tolift transfer cradle 70 to its transfer position and, then, in theopposite direction to lower transfer cradle 70.

As has been noted, shuttle car 120 moves backward and forward on frames92, 94 between switches 162, 164 and through switches 490, 492, 494,496, actuates shuttle car motor 156 in the forward and reversedirections. Power to switches 162, 164 and motor 156 is provided bymanual closing of switches 500, 502. When initially starting theapparatus, shuttle car 120 is moved to its forward most position bymanually closing bypass switch 504 but, as soon as the shuttle car 120reaches its forwardmost position and actuates switch 164 bypass switch504 is released.

As hereinbefore described, hydraulic cylinders 280 and 282 control thevertical position of arms 302, 304. Arms 302, 304 can be raised andlowered, by the operator, by manual control of up and down switches 510,512 which through solenoid 508 control fluid pressure to and fromcylinder 280. When a new stack is to be formed, the operator by manualoperation of switch 510 lifts arms 302, 304 to the upward position,about twelve inches below the bottom of shuttle car 120. As shuttle car120 moves forward and plates 240, 242 contact cut sections 12a and arepivoted on axle 132, switch 258 is closed, actuating solenoid 508 andcylinder 280 to lower arms 302, 304 and, when plates 240 clear cutsections 120, spring 250 opens switch 258. Arms 302, 304 then remain inposition until switch 258 is again actuated by plates 240 to actuatesolenoid 508 and cylinder 280.

Cradles 400, 404, 406 may be moved into registered position under thedischarge end of shuttle car 120 by a winch, cable and reversibleelectric motor, not shown or in any other convenient manner. When ashuttle car is filled and moved outwardly to either side of the machine,the stacked logs, projecting at their ends from the opposite sides ofthe cradle may be lifted with, for example, a cable, such as ceiling600, FIG. 4, operated from a crane or may be lifted out of the cradle byother suitable means.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the useof such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of thefeatures shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognizedthat various modifications are possible within the scope ofthe inventionclaimed.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for stacking cut tree sections comprising a first conveyorfor moving said out tree sections along an axial path, a second conveyorfor moving said cut tree sections along a path substantially transverseto said axial path, said second conveyor having a discharge end,transfer means for receiving and cradling cut tree sections moving insaid axial path on said first conveyor and for transferring said cuttree sections from said first conveyor to said second conveyor ina'substantially parallel orientation with respect to one another, ashuttle car at the discharge end of said second conveyor, said shuttlecar having a receiving end and a discharge end opposed to one another,said receiving end for receiving cut tree sections from said dischargeend of said second conveyor and said discharge end of said shuttle carfor discharging said out tree sections from said shuttle car, saidshuttle car being movable in a direction parallel to the direction oftravel of the cut. tree sections and transverse to the longitudinal axisof the cut tree sections,. cradle means for receiving said cut treesections from the discharge end of said shuttle car and verticallymovable means in said cradle means for receiving said cut tree sections,said shuttle car including a member mounted for pivotal movement at thedischarge end of said shuttle car, said member being biased in adirection forward of the discharge end of said shuttle car, a switchmeans on said shuttle car which, on pivotal movement of said membertowards said shuttle car against said bias, said movement caused bycontact with the previously discharged cut tree section uppermost in thestack as the shuttle car is advanced, is contacted by said member tomove said vertically movable means downwardly to lower said stacked cutsections in said cradle means, me ans for imparting reciprocal motion tosaid shuttle car to move the car in a direction parallel to thedirection of motion of the cut tree sections, sensing feedback couplingmeans connected to said means for imparting reciprocal motion to saidshuttle car, said sensing feedback coupling means capable of beingactivated by the extremities of the field of travel of the shuttle car,so that as said out tree sections are discharged from said discharge endof said shuttle car said cut tree sections are substantiallyside-by-side in said cradle means, said means for imparting reciprocalmotion to said shuttle car continuously move the shuttle car todischarge the cut tree sections parallel to one another and displaced apredetermined lateral distance from one another and, as said cut treesections are stacked, one c1 the other, said stacked cut sections insaid cradle means are lowered. I

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said first conveyor includesmeans for cutting a tree-length tree into said tree sections.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said cutting means are sawsmovably transverse to said first conveyor and means on said saws forstopping said first conveyor when said saws are moved transverselytoward said first conveyor and for starting said first conveyor whensaid saws are moved transversely away from said first conveyor.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said transfer means forreceiving and cradling cut tree sections includes a plate, means formoving said plate into and out of said axial path, a transfer cradle totransfer a cut tree section from said first conveyor to said secondconveyor when said out tree section contacts said plate.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 in which said sensing feedback coupling meansincludes means at the opposite ends of the travel of said shuttle meansfor reversibly activating the means for imparting reciprocal motion tosaid shuttle car.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 in which said shuttle car is movable towardand away from the of said second conveyor on a track and said means atthe opposite ends of travel of said shuttle car are switches which, whencontacted by said car reverse the means for imparting reciprocal motion.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 6 in which said member mounted on saidshuttle car includes a plate mounted for pivotal movement at thedischarge end of said shuttle car, and the biasing means includes aspring.

IP-l348 Patent No.

Inventor(s) Curtis A. Gentry, Jr.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 5, line 7, line 8, line 39, "70a." should read raised 68, after"the" insert end SIC-mix) ML! SEALED 1 W169?! Gomiasiom or PM

